Chapter 7
I stood on the front porch stretching my legs and looking out across
the beautiful scenery that was my front yard. It was late October and the
leaves had turned from green into marvelous shades of oranges and reds. Spring
in Kentucky may be my favorite season but fall wasn't far behind. I stretched
for a few more minutes before stepping off the porch and jogging down the
sidewalk. The leaves crunched beneath my feet as I ran along the street and the
smells of autumn filled my nose. It was a reasonably warm day, in the 50's, and
I was comfortable in my sweatshirt and jogging pants.
I thought about the last week's events as I ran. I had never been
through a more difficult time in my life. The chemos had been the worst I'd
ever experienced and I had been so sick that my oncologist had canceled my last
treatment. This left me with one round of chemotherapy to go. I was relieved...
I had spent the past several days in bed recovering. I had watched
every season of House and Grey's Anatomy on DVD and Angel, Kelly and I had made
a nice dent in planning the wedding before Angel had left on Friday afternoon
to go back home. I had enjoyed her company and was sad to see her go. It was
hard to believe we were down to 9 weeks until our wedding day. Nick and I had
chosen New Years Day as our special day and we were going to be getting married
in Hawaii in a very small and private ceremony. We had decided that since our
year had not gone at all the way we'd imagined or the way we'd planned or the
way we'd wanted... that we would at least have our say in how our next year
together and the rest of our lives together would begin.
I would never forget the day he'd proposed to me. We'd spent every
single morning of our two week trip in Hawaii down on the beach together
watching the sun rise. Neither of us were morning people but we'd set the alarm
clock everyday and made a point to share the moment together. We'd lay there on
a blanket on the beach and watch the sun rise and then we'd often fall asleep
in each others arms beneath the shade of our umbrella and wake an hour or so
later when Brian ran by on his morning jog and kicked sand at us or whistled or
did any number of unpleasant things to annoy us. That morning he'd woken me up
early and had prepared a picnic breakfast to take out to the beach with us.
He'd had strawberries and french toast, champagne and orange juice. We'd eaten
our fill and just as the sun was rising he took me in his arms and told me he
loved me. That was it. I thought something was up, but he'd done nothing more
until that night when he'd planned a picnic dinner as well and followed the
same routine in the setting sun. He'd pulled me close as the sun was going down
and told me that he wanted to spend every sunrise and every sunset with me for
the rest of his life as he'd done that day and then he'd pulled out the ring in
the moonlight. It was the best and most amazing moment of my life.
I smiled thinking of that day and breathed in the fresh air around me.
I was so thankful to be feeling somewhat human again. I slowed down to walk now
growing tired of running and felt my cellphone vibrating in my pocket. I pulled
it out and flipped it open... it was Nick.
"Hey babe," I said taking a deep breath and answering the
phone as I stopped to look out over the lake.
"Hey sexy! You sound better," he replied... I could hear the
happiness in his voice.
"I feel SO much better. I'm actually out jogging and taking in the
scenery around the house... it's so gorgeous out here Nick," I said
spinning around in a circle and taking a seat on the grass at the edge of the
lake.
"I bet. I can't wait to be there taking it all in with you."
"I know, me either. Not too much longer though... only five
days!!!"
I yelled it out into the open realizing just then that five days was
all I had left until Nick came home.
"I can't wait. I've been counting down the days since we left.
I'll be home just in time for the big day right!"
I knew that Nick was refering to my 26th birthday on November 6th. I
hadn't thought too much about it... hadn't really wanted to.
"Yeah... but I'm not really sure I want to celebrate... you
know."
"What? Babe you have to celebrate! I mean with all that you've
been through Gracie, this birthday is a miracle!" Nick hoped she didn't
really mean it. He and the guys had been talking back and forth with Kelly and
Kristin and planning a party for her for months.
"I guess. I just... yeah, you're right." I said. I didn't
want to tell Nick that I was afraid this would be my last birthday, but I was.
"You okay hon?" He questioned. I could tell he'd caught on
that something was up.
"Yep. Just a lot on my mind. I miss you!"
"I miss you too, like crazy... five more days and you're all
mine!"
"Five more days."
I smiled and stood to walk back to the house. Nick and I continued to
talk as I walked along the street telling him all about our new plot of land as
I trudged along over the dried leaves. We talked about the wedding plans and
about his tour. I told him to tell the guys I loved them and he asked about
Angel's visit. I mainly just enjoyed hearing his voice.
We hung up right as I got back to the front porch. I stood there and
stretched my legs looking out across the beautiful scenery that was my front
yard. With this round of chemotherapy behind me five days didn't seem so far
away.
***
